· Beaker · Salts: Table salt, copper sulfate, zinc chloride · Water · Metals: copper and aluminum · Wires · Stir · Volt and Current measurer
Hypothesis: If the concentration of the solution is high, then you will get more volts. Also, since the metal we use is copper, the copper sulfate salt will give us more volts
Procedure:
1. Put equal amounts of water in 3 beakers
2. Put 10g of salt in the first beaker, 20g in the second, and 30g in the third. Then stir
3. Place copper and aluminum in each beaker, clap wires to each metal
4. Measure the voltage and current
5. Repeat steps 1-4 with other salts
Vanessa's Evaluation: Before beginning this project, my hypothesis was that the higher the concentration of salt, the more volts you would get. I also thought that since we were using copper as a metal, the copper sulfate batteries would give out more volts. But after actually doing the experiment, we found out that our hypothesis was extremely off. For all the salts, the table salt, copper sulfate, and zinc chloride, the voltage decreased as the concentration increased. The second part of our hypothesis, stating that the copper sulfate would have the most volts, was also incorrect. The copper sulfate in fact had the least volts. The strength of our method was that our measurements were very accurate. We measured out the water, and the salt, all very carefully. But there was also a weakness in our strategy. We measured out salt in 10g, 20g, and 30g. I think we could have just done three cups of 10g and just add to the solution during the experiment instead of redoing everything every time. From these results, I can conclude that zinc chloride is the most effective salt to use for the batteries. Also, the lower the concentration of salt, the more volts you will get. So, the most effective battery we got was using 10g of zinc chloride in 500mL of water, getting 0.60 volts.
Evaluations- Bethany
Batteries
Comparing-
Our hypothesis was really off. It turns out that the higher the concentration of salt the lower the voltage of the battery.
The second part of our hypothesis is also wrong. “Since the metal we use is copper then the copper sulfate salt might give a stronger voltage. Although from the graph above copper sulfate gave out the least amount of voltage.
Strengths and weaknesses: Our strengths in this experiment was that the measurements were really accurate. The experiment itself is also clear and easy to understand and not much complications to it. Although one thing we could have changed was measuring the amount of salt. We took a lot of our time measuring the salt to get to 10,20 and 30grams. When all we could have done was add 10 grams each time.
Conclusions-
From the information we have collected through this experiment it seems that the lower the concentration of salt the more voltage the battery can give. Then using zinc chloride was the type of salt that was the one that gave out the most voltage on a low concentration in 500ml of water. So to make the strongest battery I would recommend to use 10g of zinc chloride in 500 ml of water.
10 grams:
Evaluation - Theresia Our investigation was to find out how much salt there should be in the water when trying to collect the most voltage from it. We also investigated what kind of salt would work the best if we wanted to make the best battery. At the end of the experiments, we found out that everything we thought we knew about voltage made with salt, water, and metals were wrong. Our Hypothesis was that the more salt, the higher the voltage. We also thought Copper Sulfate was the best salt for a higher voltage since one of the metals was already copper. Both these theories were wrong. When using the table salt, it didn’t really matter how much table salt we put in, since the voltage readings switched back and forth. However, the two other salts; Copper Sulfate and Zinc Chloride, showed a distinct pattern that the more salt you put in, the less voltage you get.I wondered if since you got more voltage by less salt,was it possible that there is one kind of salt that gives more voltage when you put more salt in?
Plan
Materials:
· Beaker· Salts: Table salt, copper sulfate, zinc chloride
· Water
· Metals: copper and aluminum
· Wires
· Stir
· Volt and Current measurer
Hypothesis: If the concentration of the solution is high, then you will get more volts. Also, since the metal we use is copper, the copper sulfate salt will give us more volts
Procedure:
1. Put equal amounts of water in 3 beakers2. Put 10g of salt in the first beaker, 20g in the second, and 30g in the third. Then stir
3. Place copper and aluminum in each beaker, clap wires to each metal
4. Measure the voltage and current
5. Repeat steps 1-4 with other salts
Results
Evaluations:
Vanessa's Evaluation:Before beginning this project, my hypothesis was that the higher the concentration of salt, the more volts you would get. I also thought that since we were using copper as a metal, the copper sulfate batteries would give out more volts. But after actually doing the experiment, we found out that our hypothesis was extremely off. For all the salts, the table salt, copper sulfate, and zinc chloride, the voltage decreased as the concentration increased. The second part of our hypothesis, stating that the copper sulfate would have the most volts, was also incorrect. The copper sulfate in fact had the least volts. The strength of our method was that our measurements were very accurate. We measured out the water, and the salt, all very carefully. But there was also a weakness in our strategy. We measured out salt in 10g, 20g, and 30g. I think we could have just done three cups of 10g and just add to the solution during the experiment instead of redoing everything every time. From these results, I can conclude that zinc chloride is the most effective salt to use for the batteries. Also, the lower the concentration of salt, the more volts you will get. So, the most effective battery we got was using 10g of zinc chloride in 500mL of water, getting 0.60 volts.
Evaluations- Bethany
Batteries
Comparing-
Our hypothesis was really off. It turns out that the higher the concentration of salt the lower the voltage of the battery.
Table Salt: 10g: 0.48 volts Copper sulfate: 0.25 volts Zinc Chloride: 0.60 volts
20g 0.41 volts 0.18 volts 0.55 volts
30g 0.43 volts 0. 14 volts 0.43 volts
The second part of our hypothesis is also wrong. “Since the metal we use is copper then the copper sulfate salt might give a stronger voltage. Although from the graph above copper sulfate gave out the least amount of voltage.
Strengths and weaknesses: Our strengths in this experiment was that the measurements were really accurate. The experiment itself is also clear and easy to understand and not much complications to it. Although one thing we could have changed was measuring the amount of salt. We took a lot of our time measuring the salt to get to 10,20 and 30grams. When all we could have done was add 10 grams each time.
Conclusions-
From the information we have collected through this experiment it seems that the lower the concentration of salt the more voltage the battery can give. Then using zinc chloride was the type of salt that was the one that gave out the most voltage on a low concentration in 500ml of water. So to make the strongest battery I would recommend to use 10g of zinc chloride in 500 ml of water.
10 grams:
Table Salt: 0.48 volts
Copper sulfate: 0.25 volts
Zinc Chloride: 0.60 volts
Evaluation - Theresia
Our investigation was to find out how much salt there should be in the water when trying to collect the most voltage from it. We also investigated what kind of salt would work the best if we wanted to make the best battery. At the end of the experiments, we found out that everything we thought we knew about voltage made with salt, water, and metals were wrong. Our Hypothesis was that the more salt, the higher the voltage. We also thought Copper Sulfate was the best salt for a higher voltage since one of the metals was already copper. Both these theories were wrong. When using the table salt, it didn’t really matter how much table salt we put in, since the voltage readings switched back and forth. However, the two other salts; Copper Sulfate and Zinc Chloride, showed a distinct pattern that the more salt you put in, the less voltage you get. I wondered if since you got more voltage by less salt, was it possible that there is one kind of salt that gives more voltage when you put more salt in?